Age and tings

Forgive me if I seem obsessed by age, but when you get to be as old as me, it starts to happen!



I was writing a birthday card to a very old friend, who happens to be almost exactly the same age as me (well, I am just a tiny bit younger, but we won't quibble over a month). The picture was of three elderly women from about the 1930's. It said 'We may be older, but we're still pretty hot'. This is what I like to think, anyway. Call me deluded. I don't care.



If you are still quite young, you may be surprised, but, I actually enjoy middle age. There are some disadvantages, to be sure. Saggy and wrinkly bits and the odd dribbling disaster are not to everyone's taste. However, the confidence that comes with age is a bonus, and in some part, compensation for the less attractive attributes.



Mind you, when I say confidence, in my case, it has gone from 0% in my teens (when I was actually quite attractive), up about 10% in my twenties (still attractive but a little bit tubby due to years of child bearing), perhaps a little more in my thirties (getting tubbier, too much alcohol taking its toll), and now nearing the end of my forties (oh dear, refer to sags & wrinkles as above); it must be about 50%. So I still have a long way to go, and possibly not that many decades. What a pity if I reached 90 and still could not claim to have achieved at least 98% confidence.



My lack of confidence is particularly in contrast to the youngsters I happen to be surrounded by in my new job. I would say that they show a slightly alarming over confidence for ones so tender in years. In discussion with some of the 'oldies' at work, we decided that the morals we grew up with ie. 'children should be seen and not heard', and occasionally beaten, just for good measure, means we do not easily take part in work type confrontations; involving unfair pay, poor working conditions or any of the gripes we all have. We just accept this as the way it is.



Our strident youngsters, however, protest loudly at anything which they regard as 'unfair' and defend themselves and each other in a sometimes indiscriminate way. This does not always have the positive effect they think it should. People sometimes get pissed off, and feel like saying, 'For God sakes, just live with it and stop moaning'. Especially employers, who, let's face it, have the power to get rid of people who piss them off! Sometimes, a little more discretion, a little more deference, gets you what you want in the long term. Sure, your 'rights' might have been disregarded in some small way, but, there you go, that's life.



I have no doubt they think we are all a load of wimps, but, on the other hand, we may stay in our jobs longer, with our good old fashioned manners which dictate that we keep our mouths shut, put our heads down, and get on with it.



Jesus, I do sound old!